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ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 



N. I. 






At the Annual Meeting, Albany, February 14, 1861, 



BY BENJAMIN N. HUNTINGTON. 



ADDEESS 



DELIVEKED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING 



or THE 



NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



AT ALBANY, FEBRUARY 14, 1861, 



By BENJAMIN. N. HUNTINGTON, President, 



AND 



ADDRESS BY GEORGE GEDDES, 



ON TAKING THE CHAIR AS PRESIDENT ELECT. 




PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. , ^ 






ALBANY: 

PRINTED BY C. VAN BENTHUYSEN. 

1861. 






e> 






ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen: — We have met, at the close of 
another year, for the purpose of receiving from the 
Board of Officers, a Report of their proceedings 
since our last Annual Meeting. On that occa- 
sion, our worthy President, on leaving the Chair, 
gave a very full account of the transactions of 
the Society to that time ; it will not, therefore, 
be necessary for me to allude to anything that 
transpired previous to that meeting, and only to 
glance summarily over our proceedings since that 
time. The very full Reports of our acting Secre- 
tary, Col. Johnson, and Treasurer, Mr. Tucker, 
who have so faithfully performed their duties, 
will show you, in detail, the operations of the 
officers during the year. We leave the Society in 
a prosperous condition, — nothing having occurred, 
in any manner, to detract from its usefulness. 

Providence has signally smiled upon us : the 
husbandman has been rewarded for his labor by 



4 

an unusually abundant harvest ; rains have been 
plenteous, the weather propitious; and, our old 
meadows and pastures have, to a great extent, 
recovered from the effects of the drought that 
visited many portions of our State the preceding 
year. We are enabled, from our full granaries, 
to supply in part, the European demand, and also 
the cry for aid from a suffering sister State. 

During the fall of 1859, and winter and spring 
of 1860, a disease, called Pleuro Pneumonia, made 
its appearance among herds of cattle in some 
portions of the neighboring State of Massachu- 
setts, which was introduced by means of cattle 
imported from Holland, by Mr. Chenery, of Bel- 
mont, on the 29th of May, 1859, and during the 
year, Mr. C. lost thirty head of cattle by the 
disease. Commissioners were appointed by the 
Legislature of that State, under whose direction 
eight hundred and forty -two head of cattle were 
ordered to be killed ; only one hundred and eighty- 
five of them proved to be diseased, while six 
hundred and fifty-seven were found to be healthy, 
although they had been exposed to contagion or 
infection from the unsound animals. Owing to 
the prompt action of the Commissioners, in pro- 
hibiting the export of animals from the State, 



and from other precautions adopted, the disease 
is believed not to have crossed the Connecticut 
river. The Secretary and Treasurer of this Soci- 
ety, accompanied by Professor Porter, made two 
visits to the infected districts in order to ascer- 
tain the peculiarities of the disease, and made a 
lengthy Report, with reference thereto, which ap- 
peared in our extra Journal, published June 21st, 
1860. Our Board of Officers, at their meeting of 
that date, after adopting sundry resolutions, autho- 
rized the President and Secretary to appoint one 
or more persons, practically conversant with the 
disease, who could make examinations with refer- 
ence to the disease, and be consulted in case it 
should make its appearance in our State. In con- 
formity with the resolution, Dr. Copeman, of Utica, 
and Dr. Moore, of Poughkeepsie, both Veterinary 
Surgeons, were appointed, — and several able arti- 
cles have been written by them, with reference to 
its management. 



Note. — During the Annual Meeting of the Society, Dr. CorEMAN,one 
of the Veterinary Surgeons appointed hy the Officers of the Society, 
stated, that he had been called to examine a herd of milch cows opposite 
the city in Rensselaer county, and found undoubted evidence of the 
prevalence of the disease. Its origin is not satisfactorily ascertained. 
He gave such directions as to the treatment and separation of the animals, 
and fumigating the stables, that if faithfully attended to, will probably 
prevent the spread of the disease. 



6 

The Annual Fair was located at Elmira, and 
held at that place the first week in October last, 
in accordance with a recommendation adopted at 
our last Annual Meeting, — all the requirements 
of the Board having been complied with, before 
the location was definitely settled. The arrange- 
ments have, at no previous Fair, been more per- 
fect, — and every desired facility was rendered to 
the officers, in the discharge of their duties, by 
the citizens of that place ; the buildings, horse 
and cattle stalls, and pens for sheep, swine, &c, 
were ample, — but all would have been occupied, 
and more needed, had the weather been favorable. 
The show of Stock was not as large as at some 
of our previous Exhibitions, but the quality of 
the animals shown, — especially the cattle, sheep 
and swine, — rhave never been excelled at any of 
our Fairs. The implements, also, were worthy 
of great commendation. I noticed among them, 
several newly invented articles that must prove 
highly beneficial to our Agricultural population. 

The Hon. William H. Seward, while traveling 
in Syria, during the year 1859, was presented 
with three horses of the Arabian breed, viz : a 
bay stallion, six years old; a sorrel colt, two 
years old, and a mare ; the two, first named, 



arrived safely, in August, 1860 ; the mare died on 
the passage. Gov. Seward has placed the horses 
in charge of the officers of the Society, who have 
made arrangements with Messrs. C. W. Bathgate 
& Co., of Fordham, Westchester county, for their 
use and keeping. The horse was an attractive 
and interesting feature of the Exhibition. A 
Committee was appointed to examine him, who, 
through their Chairman, the Hon. John A. King, 
reported as to his qualities, — which Report is pub- 
lished on page 57, of the Society's Journal of Octo- 
ber, 1860. It is hoped that the breed of horses, 
in the State, may be improved by this accession. 

I considered myself fortunate, in being able to 
obtain Mr. Quincy's consent to deliver the Annual 
Address ; it was delivered the last day of the Fair, 
to a large audience, and contained many valuable 
ideas and suggestions. 

The weather, during the entire week, with the 
exception of one day, was rainy — which detracted 
much from the attendance ; but you will judge, 
from the Treasurer's Report, that the usual inter- 
est was felt in the Exhibition. 

I cannot speak from experience, on the subject 
of Market Fairs, — however, I deem them worthy 
of consideration. On the 17th of October, 1860, 



8 

under the direction of the Farmers' Club, of Bed- 
ford, at Katonah, Westchester county, a Market 
Fair was held, for the exhibition, sale and ex- 
change of animals and implements of all descrip- 
tions, domestic and other goods, — a full Report of 
which, appeared in the November number of the 
Journal ; and I have still further learned, from 
persons who were upon the ground, that it proved 
a successful enterprise. Would it not be advanta- 
geous, for those engaged in the promotion of Agri- 
culture, to encourage the holding of these Fairs 
in their several localities ? 

Allow me to make some suggestions to Farmers, 
not original or new, — but often repeated, — never- 
theless of great importance, and essential to suc- 
cessful farming. First of all, the underdraining 
of land deserves more attention than has usually 
been given to it. While I do not concur with some 
Farmers, in the opinion that all land requires 
draining, I do believe, that all close, wet and 
retentive soils should be thoroughly drained, either 
with tile or other material, in order that the sur- 
face and spring water may pass off quickly. It 
is impossible, on such lands, (while in an unre- 
claimed state,) to raise hoed or grain crops with 
profit ; and, although grass may grow luxuriantly, 



still it will not possess the sweetness and nutri- 
ment it otherwise would, were the soil thoroughly- 
drained . 

The selection of proper implements, with which 
to pulverize the soil before cropping, cannot receive 
too much attention, and will prove a valuable 
auxiliary to draining ; indeed, the entire labor of 
Agriculture will be greatly lightened, and its cost 
curtailed from the use of improved implements 
and machines. 

Increased attention should be paid to the manu- 
facture of manures. I do not think the necessity 
of this subject is fully appreciated. The gather- 
ing of weeds, muck, straw, &c, into heaps for 
decomposition, is very beneficial in two ways : 
First, by turning the weeds to some useful pur- 
pose, — at the same time destroying them, and 
leaving the seeds in such condition that they will 
not vegetate, after going through the heating pro- 
cess of a compost heap. And, a good' deal might 
be said in favor of the soiling system, for feeding 
cattle during the summer and autumn months, in 
which way, it is believed that the greatest number 
of cattle can be kept from the least number of 
acres, thus increasing the quantity of manure. 

In order to carry out this system more perfectly, 
2 



10 

a portion of the farm, well adapted for the pur- 
pose, should be set apart and prepared for the 
raising of roots, which add greatly to the quantity 
as well as the quality of their food for the winter 
months. The saving of the urine of the cattle, 
in cisterns constructed for that purpose, would 
prove a very great addition to the fertilizers of 
the farm, especially to the meadows and upland 
pastures. Bone-dust, super-phosphate of lime, 
guano, blood and wool manure, and sundry other 
manufactured manures, can be advantageously used 
in the raising of crops, — always selecting such as 
can be most profitably used for each crop. 

Agricultural Education is an all important sub- 
ject, and commends: itself to the attention of the 
American Farmer. In the year 1858, there were, 
in Europe, three hundred and fifty-two Colleges 
and Schools in which Agriculture was taught ; and, 
the knowledge obtained in-doors, practically ap- 
plied in cultivating farms attached to the institu- 
tions, — thus giving the Scholar a Scientific and 
Practical Agricultural Education. A thorough 
knowledge of the studies taught in these institu- 
tions, will enable the Farmer to select the kind 
of land, on his farm, best adapted to each crop to 
be raised, as well as the proper mode of treating 
such crop ; and, also, to analyze soils, and ascer- 



II 

tain what manure can be with most profit applied ; 
he will also be enabled to pursue, successfully, the 
rotation system for cropping, which is strongly 
recommended in English works. Thus far, com- 
paratively little attention has been paid to this 
branch of learning, in this country. In some of 
our Colleges, Professorships of Agriculture have 
been endowed, thus conceding the knowledge of 
this subject essential. There are Agricultural 
Colleges in operation, in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland and Iowa, and Agricultural 
Schools in several of the other States; and, an 
auspicious day is dawning for the Farmers of 
New York. We may now say that we have an 
Agricultural College, which, from present indica- 
tions, must prove successful. That portion of the 
New York State Agricultural College Building, 
(located at Ovid, Seneca county,) which has been 
put under contract, having been completed, the 
institution was opened for pupils, on the 5th of 
December last; and, although still in its infancy, 
I have great confidence that this institution will 
be an honor to our State, and one, of which we 
may be justly proud. I have reason to believe, 
that the old prejudice against the Agricultural 
knowledge contained in books, will cease, and, 



12 

that our Farmers will become, more and more, a 
class of reading men. We have now a goodly 
list of Agricultural periodicals, both weekly and 
monthty, — many of them ably conducted, and 
which, if extensively read, would be the means 
of diffusing much valuable information, which, 
but for them, would often perish with its authors, 
or be confined to localities. Allow me to suggest 
the forming of clubs, in each school district, for 
subscriptions to our Agricultural Journals, — the 
cheapness of which, to clubs of ten, fifteen or 
twenty subscribers, as offered by the publishers, 
renders it consistent with the means of almost 
every Farmer. 

I will not detain you longer, gentlemen, but 
before closing, must express my thanks to the 
Executive Board, for the courtesy extended to me 
throughout the year; their regular attendance at 
our monthly meetings, has materially lightened 
my labors ; and, too much praise cannot be awarded 
to our untiring Secretary, who, by his efforts, has 
kept all the affairs of the Society so thoroughly 
systematized. 

I now have the pleasure of introducing to you 
the Hon. George Geddes, who has been elected 
President of this Society, for the ensuing year. 



REMARKS 

OF 

GEOEGE GEDDES, 

THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT, 

ON TAKHfG THE CHAIR. 



Gentlemen of the New York State Agricultural 
Society: — I assume the duties of this place in 
obedience to your action, not at all in accordance 
with my own pleasure. I have been content to 
be a learner in the Society, and feel earnest 
diffidence at being placed at its head. 

I know what the Society has done for the State. 
The past is secure, — what shall be in the future, 
I do not predict. The Society has done for the 
State of New York, or rather the State of New 
York has done through the Society, more, in its 
sphere of duty, than has been accomplished by 
any other Government, with so little expense. 






14 

The Society has risen in calm and quiet pro- 
gress ; the law that organized it, has but few 
sections. It did but give it a legal form and 
existence. It has moved in its own strength. 
The public spirit of the localities where its Fairs 
have been held, has provided for them. 

In relation to those Fairs, I have not had the 
advantages of comparison, by foreign travel ; but 
the last Fair which I saw, (the one at Albany,) I 
believe to have been the best representation upon 
a single field, of more value and excellence than 
has been elsewhere gathered. 

Since you have been pleased to make me your 
President, I have looked around to inquire into 
its responsibilities. 

This Society owes its success to its Executive 
Committee, — not so much to its President as to 
that Committee. In them you have been exceed- 
ingly fortunate. Gentlemen who have been many 
years with us, have acted there. Some have 
retired, whose absence I very much regret. I 
would like the assistance of their practical knowl- 
edge, and I dislike to part from friends so thor- 
oughly tested. 

I thank you for the honor you have done me, in 
this appointment. Were I ungrateful, I should be 



15 

indiscriminating. Accepting it with diffidence, 
and asking your indulgence, I turn to the Execu- 
tive Committee, and ask them to do to me as to 
my predecessor, — to attend all the meetings, and, 
if possible, to make this a year of success. 



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